Skip to content

White sandalwood

The sandalwood tree is an evergreen tree whose wood and the oil extracted from the wood are used as medicine. White sandalwood should not be confused with red sandalwood. White sandalwood is used to treat colds, coughs, bronchitis, fever and inflamed mouth and throat. It is also used to treat urinary tract infections, liver disorders, gallbladder problems, heat stroke, gonorrhea, headaches and cardiovascular diseases. White sandalwood is used as a flavoring agent in food and beverages. In industrial production, white sandalwood oil is used as a fragrance in soap, cosmetics and perfume.

How does white sandalwood work?

White sandalwood could help prevent the growth of fungi and bacteria. It could also relieve cramps.

How effective is white sandalwood?

There is not enough scientific data to say how effective white sandalwood is for urinary tract infections, colds, coughs, bronchitis, fever, inflammation of the mouth and throat, headaches, heat stroke, and liver and gallbladder problems. Further scientific research is needed to evaluate the effectiveness of white sandalwood in these applications.

Safety and side effects

White sandalwood is safe and harmless in food-grade amounts. However, it may not be safe and harmless if used as a medicine for longer than 6 weeks. There are reports of kidney damage with prolonged use. When taken orally, white sandalwood can cause itching, nausea, stomach upset and blood in the urine. Not enough is known about the safety and harmlessness of sandalwood applied to the skin in quantities greater than those normally found in cosmetics. Skin contact with white sandalwood may cause allergic skin reactions in some people.

Precautions and warnings

Pregnancy and lactation: The use of white sandalwood in quantities greater than those normally found in food is not safe during pregnancy. There have been reports of miscarriages associated with white sandalwood.

It is also best to avoid white sandalwood while breastfeeding, as not enough is known about whether it is safe and harmless to the breastfed child.

Kidney disease: People suffering from kidney disorders should not use white sandalwood as it could aggravate kidney disorders.

Interactions

Care should be taken when combining white sandalwood with the following medications:

Lithium

Whitesandalwood may have a dehydrating (diuretic) effect. Taking white sandalwood may interfere with the body's excretion of lithium, which could result in increased lithium levels and serious side effects. For this reason, it is important to consult your doctor before using white sandalwood if you are taking lithium. The lithium dosage may need to be adjusted.

Dosage

An appropriate dosage of white sandalwood depends on various factors such as age, health status and others. At this time, there is insufficient scientific data to make a statement about appropriate dosage ranges for white sandalwood. For this reason, one should follow the dosage instructions on the label and/or consult a doctor or pharmacist before use.

References

  1. Girgenti, P. and Suss, L. [Repellent activity against Aedes aegypti (L.) of formulas based on natural vegetable extracts or synthetic active agents]. Ann.Ig 2002;14(3):205-210. view abstract.
  2. Grigor'eva, V. D., Dashina, T. A., Iur'eva, E. A., and Matkovskaia, T. A. [Balneological use of bath concentrate containing xidifon and essential oils from ginger, nutmeg, and sandal]. Vopr.Kurortol.Fizioter.Lech.Fiz Kult. 2001;(6):35-36. View abstract.
  3. Hayakawa, R., Matsunaga, K., and Arima, Y. Depigmented contact dermatitis due to incense. Contact Dermatitis 1987;16(5):272-274. view abstract.
  4. Sugawara, Y., Hino, Y., Kawasaki, M., Hara, C., Tamura, K., Sugimoto, N., Yamanishi, Y., Miyauchi, M., Masujima, T., and Aoki, T. Alteration of perceived fragrance of essential oils in relation to type of work: a simple screening test for efficacy of aroma. Chem Senses 1999;24(4):415-421. view abstract.
  5. Buchbauer, G., Stappen, I., Pretterklieber, C., and Wolschann, P. Structure-activity relationships of sandalwood odorants: synthesis and odor of tricyclo beta-santalol. Eur J Med Chem 2004;39(12):1039-1046. view abstract.
  6. Buchbauer, G., Sunara, A., Weiss-Greiler, P., and Wolschann, P. Synthesis and olfactoric activity of side-chain modified beta-santalol analogues. Eur J Med Chem 2001;36(7-8):673-683. view abstract.
  7. Electronic Code of Federal Regulations. Title 21. Part 182 -- Substances Generally Recognized As Safe. Available at: http://ecfr.gpoaccess.gov/cgi/t/text/text-idx?c=ecfr&sid= 786bafc6f6343634fbf79fcdca7061e1&rgn=div5&view= text&node=21:3.0.1.1.13&idno=21
  8. Hammer KA, Carson CF, Riley TV. In-vitro activity of essential oils, in particular Melaleuca alternifolia (tea tree) oil and tea tree oil products, against Candida spp. J Antimicrob Chemother 1998;42:591-5. View abstract.
  9. Heuberger, E., Hongratanaworakit, T., and Buchbauer, G. East Indian Sandalwood and alpha-santalol odor increase physiological and self-rated arousal in humans. Planta Med 2006;72(9):792-800. view abstract.
  10. Hongratanaworakit, T., Heuberger, E., and Buchbauer, G. Evaluation of the effects of East Indian sandalwood oil and alpha-santalol on humans after transdermal absorption. Planta Med 2004;70(1):3-7. view abstract.
  11. Kaur, M., Agarwal, C., Singh, R. P., Guan, X., Dwivedi, C., and Agarwal, R. Skin cancer chemopreventive agent, {alpha}-santalol, induces apoptotic death of human epidermoid carcinoma A431 cells via caspase activation together with dissipation of mitochondrial membrane potential and cytochrome c release. Carcinogenesis 2005;26(2):369-380. view abstract.
  12. Kyle, G. Evaluating the effectiveness of aromatherapy in reducing levels of anxiety in palliative care patients: results of a pilot study. Complement Ther Clin Pract. 2006;12(2):148-155. view abstract.
  13. Masago, R., Matsuda, T., Kikuchi, Y., Miyazaki, Y., Iwanaga, K., Harada, H., and Katsuura, T. Effects of inhalation of essential oils on EEG activity and sensory evaluation. J Physiol Anthropol Appl Human Sci 2000;19(1):35-42. view abstract.
  14. Sharma, R., Bajaj, A. K., and Singh, K. G. Sandalwood dermatitis. Int J Dermatol 1987;26(9):597. view abstract.
  15. Starke, J. C. Photoallergy to sandalwood oil. Arch Dermatol 1967;96(1):62-63. view abstract.